Rock My Wedding

Chic & Unique

Mirror Mirror.

May 16th, 2012

On the wall….who is the fairest of them all?

Snow White obviously.

Actually hang on a wee minute there, it appears this evil queen is as sexy as Cinderella sans rags – sometimes being bad is good y’know.

Annie from Tallulahs Trinkets decided to combine all sorts of lovely and wicked in her fairytale-themed inspiration shoot photographed by the ever-so talented Anna Clarke. There is a decadent dessert table that is as calorific as it is cool, rich vibrant reds (the lip – you need to check out the lip people), all sorts of amazing tree-hanging decor and about a million zillion other ideas to steal.

For any of you gorgeous lot who are considering a stronger make-up look for W-day or how to rock shorter hair this may be just what you have been waiting for. And the paper – some of the loveliest I have seen in a while.

Once Upon A time…..

Annie from Talullahs Trinkets: I wanted to put a shoot together that was slightly quirky, fun and on trend and I love the idea of Snow White. The title alone evokes vivid flashes of crisp white, luscious reds and dark evil black and I knew exactly where I wanted the colours to be in the shoot. Snow White in all her innocence obviously had to be in white, the evil Queen in black with the red accents in the apples, cakes and flowers.

I have spoken to Anna and Simon on various occasions and love Anna’s work, she has so much scope with her vision from soft hazy shots to clear crisp sharpness. So after a few emails we had our date and our plan! We just needed the weather to play ball and it did just that.

The best part of putting a shoot together like this is working with some hugely talented people who know exactly how to create precisely what you are asking for, it’s such a great way to showcase their creativeness.

I had met Tracey from Cotton and Crumbs at a vintage bridal fair and was blown away by how beautiful her cakes were. I emailed over the mood board and she instantly came back with her ideas for the cakes and pop cakes, which were fantastic. Elle from Elle for Love also came up with fantastic ideas of how to incorporate the woodland feel along with the other elements of the shoot and then the flowers were simply stunning and totally innovative. Jodie from Make up by Jodie knew the overall look we were aiming for and delivered 100% with hair and make up.

The dresses were supplied from The Wedding Club who are a fantastic bridal boutique in Edgbaston, Birmingham with a stunning range of gowns. Claire pretty much gave me a free reign with the choice of dress, but when she pulled out the feather bodice with a full skirt I knew we had our Snow White dress. I would urge anyone getting married to go along and try on the gorgeous gowns that The Wedding Club Stock and all in a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

All that I had left to do was to styling the shoot on the day, I’d got some pretty strong ideas of how I wanted the shoot to look so with the help of a few more hands on the day we created a little piece of Snow White in the woods. I was over the moon to see it all set up, imagining it is one thing but bringing it to life is another, and for the piste de la resistance we bought in the beautiful white stead.

When designing the headbands I wanted to stick to Snow White look as much as possible so I went for a simple silver beaded bow and added some jet swarovski crystals for definition and contrast. The evil queen had to be quite the opposite so I actually put two Nancy headbands on our queen. Nancy is a vintage inspired piece that is full of swarovski crystals and diamantes and is just beautiful.

Tracey From Cotton And Crumbs: We wanted to design a simple yet elegant cake for this shoot incorporating red to tie into other elements of the shoot. The cake pops just had to be red apples, this is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of snow white.

Jodie from Make Up by Jodie: I really wanted to create a big contrast between the two model’s looks – one being very innocent with wide eyes and fluttery lashes and a really juicy fresh red lip (Jemma Kidd Lipstick Duo in Scarlett).

The other look was a lot more sultry and dark with a classic smoky eye, heavy lashes and a dark wine stain on the lips. It was important the hair complemented Annie’s gorgeous headpieces so it was kept fairly simple but with a bit of drama to fit the styling and makeup.

Elle from Elle for Love: Receiving an exciting mood board is always a great experience. I loved how different this one was with it’s woodland theme and Snow White influences.

I knew immediately I wanted to create something with a rustic feel to capture the woodland theme with distressed trees and the formidable ‘apple’ and to keep it quite simple using fonts to give a nod to the fairytale element of the shoot.

Flowers of Kidderminster: Knowing the theme and the colour scheme we wanted the flowers to compliment the overall look of the shoot so for Snow White we made a handtie design of stunning, dramatic ‘Rococo Parrot’ tulips. These flowers have a wonderful ruffled, texture effect that was perfect for the dress. For the finishing touches we encased them with a cage of Beargrass.

The second bouquet was an all wires posy of scented open Casablanca oriental lily surrounded by black marabou feathers and finially we wanted to do something a bit different so we made an ivory chiffon muff edged with black marabou feathers with white oriental lily buds and blooms cascading from the muff.

Collaboration/Stylist – Annie Nicholls

Cakes – Cotton and Crumbs

Cloak – Frocks and Flowers

Dresses – The Wedding Club

Flowers – Flowers of Kidderminster

Hair and Make up – Jodie Hazlewood

Headbands – Tallulah’s Trinkets

Photography – Anna Clarke Photography

Stationery – Elle is for Love

Styling – Tallulah’s Trinkets

Video Production – Simon Clarke

Models – Snow White: Jo Dressler jodressler@yahoo.com Evil Queen: Lana Wilson lanavejzovic@hotmail.com

Can I ask a question? Is there anyone who as a kid always wanted to be the bad guy/girl because they were kind of….I don’t know, more interesting? I remember having a She-Ra (Princess of Power!) doll but always wanting to be her arch nemesis Catra.

And for those of you that don’t know who the hell She-Ra was (or who are frankly, not old enough to remember) she was He-Mans girlfriend.

Not know who He-man is either? oh well. You are not missing out to be fair – he was a big old muscly cartoon character who’s brains appeared to be mainly in his biceps.

Ahem. Anyway… I wouldn’t mind looking like either character/model above. And that feather bodice dress?

Natalie Portman eat your heart out pet.

Big Mirrored Love

Charlotte xxx

16 comments »

Posted in Décor

Tags: Elle is For Love wedding stationery Flowers of Kidderminster wedding flowers Tallulahs Trinkets The wedding club wedding dresses Weding cakes by Cotton and crumbs

Ask The Experts – All About The Cake.

April 20th, 2012

Oh how lucky I am, todays Ask the Experts column is all about….cake. And the expert in question is Krishanthi, she of immense baking skills (seriously people, I regard myself as something of a connoisseur of treats and her delicious creations are top of my wish list).

As with all Ask the Experts columns please feel free to ask Krishanthi anything you fancy regarding your cake-y requirements for W-day, just leave your questions in the comments box below lovelies.

Choosing Your Cake

The wedding cake is typically the centrepiece at a wedding reception and a traditional element of the day. There are a wide array of styles, plenty of delicious flavours and different budgets to consider when it comes to choosing your cake.

The style of your wedding cake will very much depend on your theme, the venue, number of guests, budget and time of the year. If it is a large wedding set in grand surroundings a tall tiered cake would be most appropriate. For smaller informal weddings, you can opt for either a smaller tiered cake or miniature cakes or cupcakes. Styles can vary from the traditional/classic and vintage varieties to modern/quirky/arty (adorned with fresh flowers, sugar flowers, hand painted, ribbons).

A wedding cake should complement the theme of your wedding, colour scheme, flowers and personalities. It does not necessarily have to be in white or ivory and just square or round.

This year we are seeing a lot more colour being introduced to wedding cakes to reflect the trend for bold brights throughout the reception. Couples want to be creative and original. Inspirations for a wedding cake can be taken from your wedding invitation, your dress/bridesmaids dresses, jewellery, interior of the venue/décor, wedding flowers…virtually anything you want to be created can be achieved with a cake.

Nowadays many couples are often opting for sponges (e.g. vanilla, lemon, red velvet, chocolate, mocha) rather than the traditional fruit cake. Although there are plenty of flavours to choose from I would recommend that you narrow it down to 2-3 flavours – think about what flavours you love as a couple and also what works with the seasons i.e. lemon is a lovely light sponge for spring and summer weddings whereas fruit cake is perfect for a Christmas wedding. Fruit cake isn’t suitable for cupcakes or miniature cakes however, you could have a fruit cake as a cutting cake, if you wish.

Another nice alternative is to add fresh seasonal fruits to sponges such as strawberries and cream for naked cakes (cakes that are not covered in icing/sugar paste), which is becoming popular although fresh cream can be difficult for a hot summer day. In the hot summer months using cream in cakes can be difficult.

Tasting Sessions – What To Look For/Flavours/Ingredients

Ensure that your cake designer offers a consultation to allow you to discuss your requirements and sample the different varieties of cake. Usually the consultation is complimentary and a selection of cakes will be available to taste. The consultation is the time to discuss the design of the cake, budget, delivery and set up options.

Your cake designer should guide you on the different flavours and fillings that are available. During the tasting, make sure that the cakes are moist and bursting with flavour. You certainly don’t want to have a cake that looks good but is dry and tastes of artificial ingredients. All of our cakes are individually baked and handmade using organic, Fairtrade and free-range ingredients – this means that the cost is a little higher but the difference in quality and taste is huge!

The Size Of The Cake

The size of the cake will very much depend on the number of wedding guests and also your budget.

It’s also possible to add some iced dummy tiers to give your cake more height and make more of a statement so it is worth discussing this with your cake designer.

The Design Process

If you are opting for a bespoke cake, the design will be discussed during the consultation. The cake designer will work with you to discuss the detail, colours, ribbons, theme and season as well as anything that is symbolic to you as a couple. Some designers will sketch the cake designs to give you a good idea of the options and allow you to visualise the cake.

The design process can range from a day to a month, depending on the style of cake created.

Favours/Sweet Tables

Over the last few years we have seen sweet tables become increasingly more popular, with couples opting for a table of cakes and sweet treats. A fun and pretty addition to your wedding, a dessert table dressed with cookies, macarons, miniature cakes, cupcakes, profiteroles and other sweets is a great way to get your guests interacting and to take home sweet little favours.

We are always looking for new products to add to our range and happily accommodate any special requests for sweet treats.

Budget

Budgets are always a huge factor in deciding the style of the wedding cake. Prices can vary enormously, depending on the size and the design. The more detailed/ornate the wedding cake the more it will cost. Bespoke designs are also more than cake designs within a cake collection due to the time taken to create the design.

Cupcakes are usually more budget friendly than tiered cakes. However, if you would prefer a tiered cake you could add fresh flowers instead of having lots of sugar flowers. Alternatively, you could opt to have one large sugar flower in order to keep the cost down.

Delivery/Set-up Process

During the consultation, make sure you discuss the delivery and set up arrangements with your cake designer. Wedding cakes can be very large and heavy so it is important to consider this when arranging delivery and set up.

For a small fee, the cake designer should be able to liaise with the venue directly and organise delivery and set up so that you can relax and enjoy the day. Alternatively, some couples prefer to collect their own cake to keep costs to a minimum.

For further information and to admire some more of Krishanthi’s beautiful designs please visit her website Cakes By Krishanthi.

And can I ask a question? does anyone else crave sugar the most at breakfast time? as in literally cake for breakfast….

Hope it’s not just me.

Particularly a fan of those two tier numbers……a slice right now would be nice.

Big Have Been Known To Indulge In A Bit Of Lemon Drizzle Before 8am Love

Charlotte xxx

42 comments »

Posted in Ask The Experts, Treats

Tags: Cakes by Krishanthi Wedding cake design ideas

Too Good To Eat?

March 14th, 2012

For fear of sounding like Marjorie Dawes I must say I love a bit of cake. However, I’m no expert on the matter and if I was planning my own wedding I’ll be totally honest with you – I wouldn’t lose much sleep over choosing what is, essentially, a pudding…

Or so I thought.

Since working at Rock My Wedding these past two years or so, my eyes have been opened to so much W-day pretty – I think I can probably claim to be a bit of a wedding aficionado by now (just don’t ask me too much about flowers)… But I still get surprised and see something new nearly every single day. Who would have thought there was so much bloody cake out there for a start? I’m sure you simply couldn’t appreciate the sheer volume of options, flavours, colours, tiers, toppers, tables, designs, decorations etc… etc… until of course you sit down and start planning your own big day.

So, I decided I should have a look for myself on the wonderful web to see what is going on in cakesville. I went on a journey of discovery and what I found really does look too good to eat.

Pretty In Pink

Ombre is a big thing at the moment in the cake world. Taken from the french word for “shading” ombre describes when the colours graduate or appear to bleed into each other. Pink is really on trend and below you can see subtle hues of peach bleeding into vibrant colour pop cerise. Ace.

The detailing on Janet Mohapi-Banks Rose Wedding Cake is nothing short of breath-taking. Three hundred hand-pulled and hand coloured sugar roses show off the ombre technique to full effect.

In contrast the subtle approach taken with the two tiered baby pink piece is as striking as it is simple.

Top-Left: visit everything fab | Top-Right: cake by Cake Hero Photography by Jenny Kim Photo | Bottom: Cake by Janet Mohapi-Banks Photography by Juliet McKee Photography Styling by Cherry Topped Stationery by Ivy Ellen

Purple Passion

Charlotte actually squealed when she saw the flowers in that vintage tea cup. And all the little sugar cubes with purple hearts on that spill from the cup to the table are pretty much the cutest things you will ever see on top of icing anywhere.

I’m a massive fan of the more subdued end of the colour spectrum so for me purples that range from an almost grey to an almost black really work well – especially if you combine them with a vibrant orange as we see below. Quite the alternative to white!

I am also loving the use of typography and the stripey cake reminds me of spending hours painting colour charts at primary school (but obviously this is much more chic and contemporary). The single white bloom adds an edge of elegance and beauty that I would have been incapable of conjuring up in poster paint as a slightly overactive seven year old.

Top-Left: Visit Style Me Pretty Photography by Erin Hearts Court | Top-Right: Cake by A K Cake Design Photography by Jessica Hill Photography | Bottom-Left: Visit mysweetandsaucy.com | Bottom-Right: Cake by Miso Bakes

Not So Mellow Yellow

This set of cakes is brighter than the sun and would suit an outdoors summer extravaganza perfectly. With cupcakes having been so popular for the last few years, a trend we are starting to see more and more now is a move away from cup cakes back to the larger cake.

Not too large though… An assortment of mini cakes as we see here and is really fun, really popular and looks great on your sweet table. It is also a really useful idea for those of you planning a small intimate W-day, where a large cake may go to waste.

Visit I Am Baker

Grey And Yellow

One of our favourite colour combinations at Rock My Wedding at the moment. I couldn’t go in search of cake and not sniff out a couple of yellow and grey beauties.

M Robin Cake Design actually colour the sponge to create the clean lines you see on the stripey yellow and grey cake – that isn’t icing!

I am well into a single bloom on a cake (can you tell that yet?) The touch of yellow adds a nice bit of sparkle to the grey vine decoration on the classically influenced creation bottom right.

I am also cheating a little bit here – There isn’t really any grey on the circular patterned creation from Cakes By Krishanthi but it is just so damn elegant that I had to include it here. I love the flash of colour and the way that the circles sort of “become” the craspedia is nothing short of a stroke of cake genius.

*ahem… Are they craspedia? Maybe I know more about flowers than I thought

Top: cake by M Robin Cakes | Bottom-Left: cake by Cakes By Krishanthi | Bottom-Right: visit Style Me Pretty Photography by Photos By Vitella

Peachy Keen

It is no secret that we are massive fans of peach here at Rock My Wedding… Well, today I present to you all kinds of peach cake – we even have the actual fruit sat a top a super subtle iced number.

If anyone is unsure of embracing peach in your colour scheme for w-day then this set of images is surely all you need to be convinced otherwise. The warm ice-cream pastel hues are perfect for a spring or summer wedding, subtle and refreshing – forget about the monstrosities of the late 80′s. Peach is back and looking good.

Cakes by Lael Cakes except | Bottom-Left: cake by Super Fine Bakery

Taste The Rainbow

I’m going to finish today’s post with a splash of colour. Lurking underneath the stealth icing is a rainbow just waiting to be tasted – A great idea, particularly if you are having children at your wedding. If you fancy having a go at making one you can view the full tutorial here.

And to continue on the rainbow theme, check out this selection of multi-coloured beauties… We have here influences from pop art and in the lower pictures another example of using a selection of miniature cakes, rather than one large tiered affair.

Top Right: Visit marthastewartweddings.com | Centre and Bottom: view the full wedding here

To Top Things Off

I couldn’t go without showing you a few of my favourite cake toppers… I am in actual awe of Lace Rubbish who create alternative bespoke figures for the top of your cake, they are the bees ruddy knees.

A few cheaper D.I.Y options for you too – we have already seen fruit but seriously, how cool is that apple? Also, the photo frame idea is a great alternative to figurines and the miniature bunting is not only really cute but also a really simple D.I.Y project.

Top-Left: Visit Elizabeth Anne Designs | Top-Right: Visit Lace Rubbish | Bottom-Left: Visit aweddingcakeblog.com Photography by Beth Armsheimer | Bottom-Right: Visit Lael Cakes

So, having thought that I wasn’t really in to cake much (At least not into choosing a cake – EVERYONE is into eating cake, surely?) it turns out that I might actually be blowing the majority of the Adam & Kylie Wedding* budget on a vast range of the fanciest, most colourful cakes in all of blogland.

Although to be honest, maybe I am getting carried away here. After all my Mum makes a pretty mean fruit cake (Hi Mum…) and she is a bit of a diva with the old icing bag too – so I could save myself a massive wedge of cash and still have a cake that the guests would be guaranteed to rave about… Hmmm, decisions, decisions…

So, what are you folks doing? How much budget is set aside for your cake and who out there is going down the home made route?

Maybe you are not having a cake at all?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section, it is always great to hear your plans and opinions.

Right, I’m off for a slice of Battenburg.

Adam x

*This is of course very sadly a completely fictitious event.

41 comments »

Posted in Treats

Tags: Alternative wedding cake ideas Ombre wedding cake trends Peach wedding cake inspiration Wedding cake topper ideas

Giving You Gyp.

March 12th, 2012

As in Gypsophila. As in those tiny delicate white flowers that seem to last an age and never fail to make a significant impact whether used in small dainty doses or huge frothy bundles.

I love it. And so it seems does the world of W-day. So much so in fact I wrote all about different ways to use the bloom in my Wedding Flowers Magazine column and thought it was high time I shared some Gyp inspiration on RMW.

For Your Bouquet

I guess there are two obvious options here – 100% gyp (think pretty floral “cloud”) or mixed with other often more colourful varieties to add an ethereal edge.

The former looks particularly effective for a vintage-inspired wedding such as Diana and Harry’s 1950′s-esque “Mad Men” themed day.

You can see the rest of the wedding here and here – Loving Diana’s red nail and shoe combo.

And if you fancy something a little more sumptuous than simple for yourself then a pouff of the white stuff looks equally as lovely for your best girls. Oh and did I mention Gyp is also uber cost effective?

From top, Bryony and Jamie’s Pastel perfection can be seen here, Helen and James’s back garden glam here and Hannah and Ali’s boho day via Bridalmusings (go check out the gorgeous hair do – I want)

On the mix-it-up front you can’t beat a pop of pink for the ultimate in femininity, my favourite is a combination of roses and Gyp thrown together in a haphazard fashion and tied with a strip of raffia or brown string. James and Kelly’s country garden W-day rocks my world in so many ways – especially the florals….. obviously.

You can see both parts of Kelly and James’s day here and here.

That’s not to say you can’t pair your gyp with something pale and interesting such as the understated posies in Sam and Pete’s Autumnal celebration that feature white Freesia and luscious green Eucalyptus:

You can see the rest of Sam and Pete’s day here and here.

And for the ultimate in a whimsical fairytale? accessorise your flower girls with a daisy and gyp crown and wand – you can see the rest of Kim and Chris’s folk affair here.

Images courtesy of Joanna Brown

For Your Decor

Ceremony wise I am loving a simple bunch of gyp as pew ends, tied with lace, colour-scheme ribbon or hung over the back of a chair in a glass bottle or jam jar:

From top: via Vintage Florals, image courtesy of Kerry Morgan Photography.

For your reception pretty much anything goes, especially if you are going for something relaxed and informal. In keeping with their bouquets Sam and Pete displayed a selection of gyp and carnations in various bottles and patterned china:

Photography courtesy of Mister Phill as before.

And if you want to go uber pretty heap some gyp into a teacup and decorate with a paper bird or butterfly, you can see the rest Frank and Amanda’s delicious day here.

For a rustic styled marquee/outdoorsy affair then perhaps consider displaying gyp mixed with ivy and other greenery in retro tins (there are loads of suppliers on Etsy or you can pick them up in local flea markets for as little as a quid each). Also a sprinkling of gyp works wonders to pretty up your cake – just remember not to actually eat it.

Jamie and Bryony’s wedding by Navy Blur as before.

For Contrast

My absolute favourite ways of using gyp, unexpectedly ultra glam by displaying tightly packed in frosted silver bud vases (find similar at Cox and Cox) or paired with deep purple Lithianthus in cut crystal or as bouquets set against brightly coloured floral dresses – loves.

Clockwise from top left, image courtesy of Juliet McKee, Amy Murrell and We Heart Pictures – see the full wedding here.

So then lovelies, are you incorporating gypsophila into your W-day? And is it me or does it remind you a little bit of your Mum flower arranging in the 80′s?

Do tell.

Big Frothy Love

Charlotte xxx

48 comments »

Posted in Décor

Tags: Gypsophila bouquets Gypsophila inspiration for weddings

RMW Gets Fruity.

March 9th, 2012

Did you think that meant we were being a bit naughty? Well we’re not promise. We mean in the literal sense.

As in – reception drinks, or the drinks you have after your ceremony or the drinks you have whilst dancing even…. Champagne? Proscecco? Cava? your favourite vino?

If you do favour any one of those mentioned above we’ve made you some fancy monogrammed label downloads for you to potentially make your very own bottles to serve them in and if you fancy something more refreshing (and non alcoholic) we’ve got that covered too.

You see we figured those of you that have a marquee, or a back yard or just any blank canvas do-what-you-want venue then you may want to create your very own drinks bar (think dessert bar only with um….drinks on it). For glasses you can use jam jars (check out Stephen and Julia’s wedding for inspiration) and bottles are only £1.99 each from Ikea. You can purchase yourselves some stripy straws from Peach Blossom and then decorate them with a selection of our free downloadable flags (cut them out and glue around the straw – easy peasy.)

We’ve also made a whole host of free fruity downloadable labels for you to decorate aforementioned jars and bottles, choose from Lemonade, cherryade, orange juice, apple juice or even raspberry cordial (my favourite.)

And even if you don’t want a whole drinks bar these could make cute additions to just the drinks you make available to the children amongst your guests.

Essentially you can use them for whatever you please folks – we made them for you and they are FREE.

Anyone actually thinking of creating their own drinks bar for W-day?

Big Fruity Love

Charlotte xxx

Just click the folder to get the templates.

The fonts we used are called The Fell Types and you can download them from Igino Marini

18 comments »

Posted in D.I.Y

Tags: labels for a wedding drinks bar

The PR Pocket Rocket Does Flapper And Dapper.

February 24th, 2012

This post is a little bit of everything. Mainly it’s about throwing a fabulous party – this one happens to be a 30th but the ideas and styling can be used for your hen, your engagement do, even your wedding reception (everyone should have a cigar bar ok?).

However it’s also about Jo from Something Blue PR aka the RMW PR Pocket Rocket. You see Adam and I can’t take all the credit for how well RMW has done in these last six months, there’s been heaps of support and advice from Naomi, Jenny and Vix, our families, our friends and you lovelies – our awesome community.

But there has always always been Jo. Jo actually started her own business at a similar time to Adam and I and has since become the PR agency in the W-day industry. And we were really ruddy lucky to get on board her pretty PR ship when we did. The lady does on many occasions go way beyond the call of duty to look after her clients and we, being not your average um…client have probably pushed her to the absolute limit. But she has never ever faltered and over these last few months I can hold my hand up in the air (wave it a bit – sheesh hope my polish ain’t chipped..) and say I seriously don’t know what we would have done without her.

We certainly wouldn’t be in the position we are in now and we probably would have keeled over from sleep deprivation.

Jo Kent – We salute you.

And as well as saluting her I’m going to be sharing her “Flapper and Dapper” themed party which Mr O’Shea and I attended a few weeks back at Highroad House in Chiswick. Please do leave Jo some love in the comments section below and tell us which of her ideas you may be stealing…(I mentioned the cigar bar right?)

Jo Kent: Next month will mark my second wedding anniversary. And it also marks the start of my business, or at least the moment when I decided that a career in the wedding industry was for me. Ever since getting engaged and riding the emotional rollercoaster of planning the biggest event of your life, I’ve been hooked on weddings and everything that comes with them. I love the creativity of those in the industry, I love the romance and I love the daily eye candy that the world of weddings brings. And not just weddings, this somewhat unhealthy addiction extends to all manner of pretty parties. So it was little surprise to my friends and family when, six months before reaching the big milestone of 30, I announced that I was going to throw a party. And not just any party, a big birthday bash with all the trimmings – hair, makeup, cakes, flowers, stationery, a party planner and even a bespoke dress. Perhaps a little OTT if I’m honest but if there’s one thing a PR is known for, it’s our little black book of contacts and if there’s ever an excuse for another party, entering a new decade is a pretty good one!

And so the planning of the party (or ‘Wedding Take 2’ as my husband refers to it), commenced. I promise this isn’t intended to be a plug for my clients but there are some truly lovely people who deserve a personal mention for helping me pull together such a special and memorable occasion.

Decadent Design

Every party needs a planner. If there’s one thing I could change about our wedding day it was the fact that we didn’t have a planner. I am a natural control freak at heart so I would never be able to hand over the reigns fully to someone else but the added touches, ideas and styling that they can add to a day is invaluable. Together with the lovely Kim at The Pink Pumpkin, the concept of a Roaring Twenties party to celebrate the end of an era was decided on and we spent several evenings designing, crafting and making DIY décor. On the day of the party (after a full day’s work styling a wedding for one of her clients), Kim rushed to the party to wave her styling wand over the venue and make it look pretty – no matter how many times I try and arrange tealights, Kim makes them look a million times better and that’s why she’s a wedding planner and I’m not!

Speakeasy Styling

High Road House in Chiswick is part of the super cool Soho House Group – a collection of boutique hotels, restaurants and bars that have remained a firm favourite of mine. The Member’s Club at Highroad House provided the perfect backdrop for the event with its art deco inspired design in the style of a Speakeasy Bar. We stayed overnight in the Play Pen suite, which was the ideal room to nurse a rather sore head the next day with a huge bed, roll top bath and rain shower.

A Feathery Flapper Frock

Beverly Lister was the designer of my wedding dress and my very first client. I adore her dresses and the understated elegance of her designs. After searching the streets of London for a party frock with no joy, I called on Beverly to “rustle something up” and thankfully she happily agreed, although I’m no sure we can call it a rustled-up design! Beverly designed a gorgeous little black lace number with ostrich feathers and I wore an original art deco headpiece by Cherished Vintage and earrings from Glitzy Secrets to match. The super sparkly Jimmy Choo clutch was a birthday gift from one of my best friends (hence the facial expression!)

Finger Waves

When it comes to ultra glamorous hair, there’s noone else in my book that can style hair like Severin Hubert at Hepburn Collection. I met the charming Severin and Roz just before our wedding and ever since Sev has become renowned for creating the most luscious locks in the industry. Knowing just how busy they are, an appointment with Hepburn Collection was the first thing I did and naturally I wasn’t disappointed – my limp, polka straight hair was transformed into the biggest bounciest flapper bonnet.

The Snaps

I have long admired the work of Chanelle at Segerius Bruce who, above all, has a knack for making her clients look super slick. There’s some seriously gifted photographers out there and in the last few years the bar has been raised, with couples now expecting editorial style snaps. With several magazine and blog shoots under her belt, Chanelle really understands how to get the best out of people and achieves the perfect mix of fun and emotion with attention to the details.

Cakes and Candy

Krishanthi from Cakes by Krishanthi has a lot to answer for. Ever since we met last year, my waistline has continued to expand to the point where I no longer have a waist! I have officially nominated myself as her personal cake taster and I can vouch for the fact that every cake is utterly delicious.

Not content with just one birthday cake, I opted for a whole table of them together with meringues, cookies, macaroons and sweets. As I’m a Valentine’s baby, Krishanthi also made little heart shaped iced shortbread favours for the guests.

Balls Of Flowers

The carnation flower balls were provided by Nicole Liew at The White Orchid in Weybridge. Nicole is an exceptionally talented florist with a natural creative eye and the displays looked stunning in the venue. What’s more, it’s over a week since the party and the flowers still look beautiful which is a testament to the quality.

Stripy Stationery

The stationery was designed by one of my personal favourite stationers – Dottie Creations. Zoe created a fun collection incorporating the red, black and white colour theme inspired by the era.

Strictly Charleston

My husband surprised me on the night with a brilliant performance from 1920s band, the Charleston Charlies. Not only were the band fantastic, it reaffirmed why I married my man! It really set the scene for the evening before the DJ got the dance floor rocking until 2am.

A Final Note

To all the lovely brides who are fretting over facing the post-wedding blues once the big day is over, my advice would be that the wedding day is just the start of a lifetime of fun and happy occasions. Whether it be a birthday, anniversary, baby shower or christening, there’s always an excuse to celebrate in style!